The present invention is directed to a bottle top device that generates music (such as a human voice singing a song) or other audio output.
The public responds to, and enjoys, entertaining packages. Children and adults alike find pleasure in brightly colored labels, modern or distinct package shapes, and the like. Manufacturers are committed to producing such packaging because of the attention that they get on store shelves, in advertisements, etc., thereby increasing product awareness and/or product sales.
Some manufacturers have incorporated an audio presentation into their products. One conventional example of this is a greeting card that outputs an audio signal when it is opened. Another conventional example is a music box. Other manufacturers of common containers such as bottles and cans have also incorporated a limited audio presentation into their packaging.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,222 to Armato discloses a knob for attachment to the removable lid of a container, wherein the knob can be activated by a consumer to play an audio message. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,796,328 to Golant discloses a consumer product where the consumer takes appropriate steps to activate the audio message. These products have a shortcoming in that the consumer must proactively take certain steps to activate the audio message. This means that the consumer only hears the audio message if and when the consumer goes out of his/her way to take special steps to effect the activation of audio playback.
On the other hand, some containers with built-in audio playback will play audio automatically upon opening the container. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,470 to Boldt, Jr. discloses a tamper-evident bottle with a means for generating an audio signal located in its lid. In Boldt, Jr., the audio signal is heard the first time that the bottle is opened, so that the consumer will be aware that the lid of the bottle has not been previously opened, and that it is therefore unlikely that any tampering has taken place. Within the context of an audio signal directed to tamper status of the bottle, it would not make sense to play the audio message the second or subsequent time that the bottle is opened, because the integrity of the bottle""s seal has already been compromised upon the initial (hopefully innocent) opening. Consequently, the bottle of Boldt, Jr. inhibits its audio signal upon any bottle opening that occurs subsequent to the initial opening of the bottle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,383 to Seeley likewise discloses a container that produces audio tones the first time, but only the first time, that the lid is removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,597 to Dobosi, et al. discloses a medicine bottle that sounds an audible alarm when its childproof cap is partially removed. The childproof cap and audio alarm device of Dobosi, et al. is disclosed for use in medicine bottles, where it works to provide an alarm signal every time the medicine is opened. Of course this is appropriate in the context of medicine bottles, because the contents are so dangerous that the annoyance of the alarm is outweighed by its utilitarian function in providing notice that children may be tampering with the dangerous medicine. The medicine bottle of Dobosi, et al. would not be applicable to bottles holding fruit stuffs and other non-dangerous consumer products (such as perfume) because: (1) its child-proof cap could interfere with access to the contents of the bottle; and (2) the alarm would not serve any sort of significant safety function.
The present inventors have developed a new and innovative way to entertain the users of consumer containers, and/or to attract attention to those consumer containers. The present invention, in its most basic form, is a bottle top which, when removed from the bottle to which it is attached, causes music or other types of aesthetically pleasing audio signals to be generated. The audio generator can be activated several different ways, and can be located on the product or, more preferably, within the top itself.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a top or other cap, lid, etc., for a product which, when either removed from the product or when removal is attempted, generates sound. The present invention finds particular applicability to consumer-type products, such as food and drink bottles, where music is generated in order to entertain the user.
At least some embodiments of the present invention may exhibit one or more of the following objects, advantages and benefits:
(1) an aesthetically pleasing audio signal, when built in to a product""s container, will attract consumers to the container and thereby help sell more product;
(2) an aesthetically-pleasing audio signal provides an opportunity to help establish audio trade dress that strengthens consumer association between the packaging and the product;
(3) a different aesthetically-pleasing audio signal built into a container may cause certain consumers to attempt to collect more of the containers, which would also result in more sales of the product that the container holds;
(4) the aesthetically-pleasing audio signal may incline certain consumers to keep the container even after the product is used up, thereby causing additional consumer exposure to the product""s packaging, even after the time that the packaging would normally be thrown away or recycled; and
(5) the aesthetically-pleasing audio signal may be utilized to convey positive messages about the container and/or the product held by the container.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a container includes a container member, a cover, an audio generator and an actuator. The container member defines an internal space and an opening located to allow access to the internal space through the opening. The cover is structured to removably cover opening in a substantially fluid-tight manner. The audio generator is structured to produce an audio signal upon activation, with the audio signal being entertaining in nature. The actuator is structured and located to automatically activate the audio generator at a least a first time the cover is at least partially removed from the opening and a second time the cover is at least partially removed from the opening. In other words, the audio generator does not generate sound one time only, upon only the initial removal of the cover.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, a container includes a top. The top includes a first housing portion, a second housing portion, a sound generator, a power source, at least two electrical contacts. The second housing portion is rotatable relative to the second housing portion. The sound generator produces sound when activated. The power source powers the sound generator. The two electrical contacts are operatively connected to the power source and to the sound generator. The contacts serve to supply power from the power source to the sound generator. One of said contacts is mounted on the first housing portion and the other contact is mounted on the second housing portion. Rotation of the first housing portion relative to the second housing portion moves the two contacts between non-actuation and actuation positions. In the actuation position, the contacts act to supply power from the power source to the sound generator. In the non-actuation position, the contacts do not to supply power from the power source to the sound generator.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, a container includes a top and a container member. The top is detachably attached to the container. The top includes a housing, a light sensing device and a printed circuit board. The light sensing device is located so that incident light on the light sensing device does not substantially change when the top is attached to the container and is motionless relative to the container. The printed circuit board is structured to selectively output an audio signal, with the light sensing device being electrically operatively connected to the printed circuit board so that a change in light incident on the light sensing device triggers the printed circuit board to output the audio signal.
Further applicability of the present invention will become apparent from a review of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the description and examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the present invention, are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, and various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.